Automated aerial vehicle inspections

ABSTRACT

Automated inspections of aerial vehicles may be performed using imaging devices, microphones or other sensors. Between phases of operation, the aerial vehicle may be instructed to perform a plurality of testing evolutions, e.g., in a sequence, at a testing facility, and data may be captured during the evolutions by sensors provided on the aerial vehicle and by ground-based sensors at the testing facility. The imaging and acoustic data may be processed to determine whether any vibrations or radiated noises during the evolutions are consistent with faults or discrepancies of the aerial vehicle such as microfractures, corrosions or fatigue. If no faults or discrepancies are detected, the aerial vehicle may be returned to service without delay. If any faults or discrepancies are detected, however, then the aerial vehicle may be subjected to maintenance, repairs or further manual or visual inspections.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/083,161, filed Mar. 28, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,053,236, thecontents of which are incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety.

BACKGROUND

Aerial vehicles such as airplanes or helicopters are commonly used totransport people or cargo from an origin to a destination by air. Aerialvehicles may be delicate machines that are formed from lightweightmetals, plastics or composites and equipped with motors, rotors orturbofans that are designed to meet or exceed a number of operationalconstraints or requirements such as speed, altitude or lift. Forexample, many unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones) are built frommolded plastic frames and outfitted with electric motors powered byonboard batteries that permit the vehicles to conduct lifting orthrusting operations, while larger aerial vehicles such as jumbo jetsfeature aluminum, titanium or carbon fiber frames and skins and areequipped with petroleum-powered jet engines capable of generating tensof thousands of pounds-force.

During flight operations, an aerial vehicle may be subject to intensevibrations or oscillations due to thrusting or lifting forces acting onthe aerial vehicle, environmental conditions in an area where the aerialvehicle operates or has operated, shocks or impacts from contact withone or more other objects, or from any other sources. Therefore, fromtime to time, such as after a nominal or predetermined number ofoperating hours or missions, aerial vehicles are commonly taken out ofservice for a number of manual or visual inspections. Such inspectionsare intended to determine whether the strength and integrity of thevarious components of the aerial vehicle remain sufficient for normaloperations. For example, an aerial vehicle may be searched formicrofractures, cracks, loosened or broken fasteners, corrosions,fatigue, or evidence of other physical manifestations of stress orstrain.

Performing manual or visual inspections typically requires taking anaerial vehicle out of service for extended durations, however. Forexample, depending on a size of an aerial vehicle, or a length of timesince a most recent inspection, a typical inspection of the aerialvehicle may require tens or hundreds of man-hours in order to becompleted. Even where a manual or visual inspection results in adetermination that the integrity of the aerial vehicle is sound and thatthe aerial vehicle is operating in a safe and satisfactory manner, theaerial vehicle must still be taken out of service in order to arrive atthat determination. Conversely, where an inspection regime calls formanual or visual evaluations to be conducted periodically, e.g., after apredetermined number of hours have lapsed or missions have beencompleted, such evaluations are unable to determine when an operationalissue arises between such periodic inspections, and implementing aremedy for the operational issue is necessarily delayed. Every hour inwhich an aerial vehicle is out-of-service is an hour in which the aerialvehicle is not providing value.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A through 1D are views of aspects of one system for automatedaerial vehicle inspections in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one system for automated aerial vehicleinspections in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of one process for automated aerial vehicleinspections in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 4A through 4C are views of aspects of one system for automatedaerial vehicle inspections in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are a flow chart of one process for automated aerialvehicle inspections in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are views of aspects of one system for automated aerialvehicle inspections in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of one process for automated aerial vehicleinspections in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a view of aspects of one system for automated aerial vehicleinspections in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are views of aspects of one system for automated aerialvehicle inspections in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As is set forth in greater detail below, the present disclosure isdirected to automatically performing inspections of an aerial vehicleusing data captured from the aerial vehicle by one or more sensorsprovided in a ground-based facility or aboard the aerial vehicle, andusing such data to determine whether the aerial vehicle requiresmaintenance, or whether the aerial vehicle may be used in furtheroperations. For example, when an aerial vehicle is initially preparedfor operations, a set of data may be captured from the aerial vehicleusing not only sensors provided on the aerial vehicle, such asgyroscopes, accelerometers, magnetometers, imaging devices ormicrophones, but also one or more other sensors that are provided at alanding facility or range. The set of data may be captured using sensorsprovided on the aerial vehicle or ground-based sensors as the aerialvehicle is operated according to a predetermined testing sequence, e.g.,by operating one or more powered elements such as motors, rotors orcontrol surfaces. Operating the powered elements independently or intandem, or in any combinations, causes a unique vibrational excitationof the aerial vehicle, and the manner in which the aerial vehicleresponds to the vibrational excitations may be captured using the one ormore sensors. For example, the predetermined testing sequence may callfor operating each of the motors individually or collectively, or in oneor more combinations, and at operating speeds that may be variedgradually or suddenly. Likewise, any control surfaces or otherstructural components may also be operated individually or collectively,or in any combinations, within predetermined ranges or limits associatedwith such surfaces or components. Information or data captured duringthe operation of the powered elements may then be analyzed in order toderive one or more signatures reflective of the safety or sufficiency ofoperation of the aerial vehicle, or the integrity of one or morecomponents thereof.

After an aerial vehicle has completed a mission, or when the aerialvehicle is otherwise between phases of operation, the aerial vehicle mayagain be operated according to the predetermined testing sequence, e.g.,as each of the powered elements of the aerial vehicle is operatedindependently or in tandem, or in any combinations, and another set ofdata may be captured during the operation. Such data may be used alongwith operational data recorded during the mission to determine whetherthe aerial vehicle is operating safely and sufficiently, and may thus becleared for its next mission, or whether the aerial vehicle requiresmaintenance, repairs or further inspection, and is to be blocked fromits next mission. Thus, based on data captured using both onboardsensors and ground-based sensors, whether an aerial vehicle requiresmaintenance, repairs or further inspections may be determined moreefficiently than according to traditional methods, thereby enablingaerial vehicles for which no maintenance, repairs or further inspectionsare required to be returned to service without further delay, whileensuring that actual or emerging faults or discrepancies in such aerialvehicles are diagnosed and corrected as quickly as possible.

Referring to FIGS. 1A through 1D, aspects of one system 100 forautomated aerial vehicle inspections is shown. The system 100 includesan aerial vehicle 110 and a testing facility 140. The aerial vehicle 110includes a plurality of motors 113-1, 113-2, 113-3, 113-4 and aplurality of rotors 115-1, 115-2, 115-3, and 115-4. The testing facility140 includes a landing pad 145, and a plurality of sensors alignedwithin an operating range of the landing pad 145, including a pair ofacoustic sensors (e.g., microphones) 152-1, 152-2 and a pair of imagingdevices 154-1, 154-2 (e.g., digital cameras). Each of the acousticsensors 152-1, 152-2 and imaging devices 154-1, 154-2 mounted inassociation with the landing pad 145, e.g., atop one or more stanchions,posts or other structures, and aligned to capture information or datafrom one or more aerial vehicles returning to the landing pad 145 ordeparting from the landing pad 145. Alternatively, one or more of thesensors provided about the landing pad 145 may be mobile in nature,e.g., provided on a vehicle or robot that may enter within an operatingrange of the landing pad 145 to capture information or data regardingthe aerial vehicle 110, and depart from the operating range of thelanding pad 145 after the information or data has been captured, such asto evaluate another aerial vehicle on a different landing pad. Inaddition to imaging devices and acoustic sensors, the testing facilitymay further include any other type or form of other sensors (not shown)for capturing information or data from vehicles at the landing pad 145.The testing facility 140 and/or the landing pad 145 may be associatedwith any type or form of other structures or facilities (not shown)associated with missions that are to be performed by one or more aerialvehicles, such as the aerial vehicle 110, including but not limited toairborne delivery or surveillance operations.

As is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the aerial vehicle 110 is returning tothe testing facility 140, e.g., following a completion of a mission. Asis shown in FIG. 1B, each of the motors 113-1, 113-2, 113-3, 113-4 isrotating each of the rotors 115-1, 115-2, 115-3, 115-4 under power asthe aerial vehicle 110 prepares to land on the landing pad 145.

As is shown in FIG. 1C, after the aerial vehicle 110 has arrived at thetesting facility 140, the aerial vehicle 110 may subjected to a sequenceof any number of automatic testing evolutions within the audible rangesof the acoustic sensors 152-1, 152-2 and the fields of view of theimaging devices 154-1, 154-2. For example, as is shown in FIG. 1C, eachof the motors 113-1, 113-2, 113-3, 113-4 may be operated independentlyand in series, such that acoustic and imaging data may be captured usingthe acoustic sensors 152-1, 152-2 and the imaging devices 154-1, 154-2.Alternatively, where the aerial vehicle 110 includes one or more controlsurfaces, e.g., one or more rudders, elevators, stabilizers, spoilers,ailerons, flaps or slats, or other operable components (such asextendible or retractable landing gear or the like), such other surfacesor other components may also be operated in accordance with the sequenceof testing evolutions.

As is shown in FIG. 1D, after the sequence of testing evolutions iscompleted, either in whole or in part, information or data captured bysensors provided onboard the aerial vehicle 110 during prior operations(e.g., one or more missions that preceded the sequence of testingevolutions) and information or data captured by both onboard sensors andground-based sensors during the sequence of testing evolutions may beuploaded to one or more servers 142 associated with the testing facility140, e.g., over a network 180, by wireless or wired connections. Theservers 142 may determine whether the aerial vehicle 110 requiresmaintenance, repairs or further inspections based on a modal analysis ofacoustic data or imaging data captured using the acoustic sensors 152-1,152-2 or the imaging devices 154-1, 154-2, or any data captured by othersensors provided aboard the aerial vehicle 110 or at the testingfacility 140 (not shown).

For example, the servers 142 may generate a signature, a fingerprint oranother set of data representative of activity embodied in therespective sounds or images, captured during operations of each of thepowered elements individually or in the aggregate. The signature,fingerprint or other set of data may be compared to baseline data forthe aerial vehicle 110, or predicted data regarding the operation of theaerial vehicle 110, e.g., to another signature, fingerprint or other setof data representative of activity that was previously obtained,according to one or more machine learning algorithms or techniques.Where the observed acoustic data or imaging data is determined to beconsistent with expectations determined based on the baseline data orpredicted data, e.g., based on a comparison of signatures, fingerprintsor other sets of data, the aerial vehicle 110 may be understood to notrequire any maintenance, repairs or further inspections of any type ofform, and may depart on another mission momentarily. Where the observedacoustic data or imaging data is not consistent with such expectations,however, maintenance, repairs or further inspections may be conducted inorder to determine a cause of any discrepancies.

Accordingly, the systems and methods of the present disclosure may beutilized to automate and regulate the performance of inspections,maintenance and repairs on aerial vehicles. In particular, such systemsand methods may replace traditional periodic manual or visualinspections with automatic inspections that are conducted based oninformation or data captured using sensors onboard an aerial vehicle,and ground-based sensors at a landing area or testing facility. Theautomatic inspections may be conducted using acoustic data or imagingdata captured by acoustic sensors or imaging devices, as well as anyother type or form of relevant information or data captured usinggyroscopes, accelerometers, magnetometers or other sensors provided onthe aerial vehicle or at the testing facility. For example, an initialsignature (or fingerprint, or other set of data) may be determined foran aerial vehicle based on an analysis of information or data capturedduring an initial execution of a testing sequence that calls for theoperation of each of a plurality of powered elements onboard the aerialvehicle within operating ranges of sensors (e.g., within an acousticrange of one or more acoustic sensors, within a field of view of one ormore imaging devices, or within operating ranges of any other sensors).In some embodiments, the initial signature may be defined based on amodal analysis of the information or data captured during the initialexecution of the testing sequence, and may include a representation ofan initial spectral density of accelerations, e.g., linear and/orangular, or vibrations measured during the initial execution of thetesting sequence by sensors provided on the aerial vehicle or at thetesting facility.

Subsequently, e.g., when the aerial vehicle returns from performing amission, or when the aerial vehicle is between two phases of operation,the aerial vehicle may execute the testing sequence again within theoperating ranges of such sensors. A subsequent signature (orfingerprint, or other set of data) may be determined based on asubsequent analysis of information or data captured during thesubsequent execution of the testing sequence, and compared to initialsignature determined based on the information or data captured duringthe initial execution of the testing sequence. Based on the subsequentsignature, or a comparison of the subsequent signature to the initialsignature, a determination may be made as to whether the aerial vehicleis experiencing any structural deficiencies (e.g., microfractures,cracks, loosened or broken fasteners, corrosions, fatigue, otherphysical manifestations of stress or strain), or whether maintenance,repairs or further inspections may be required. In some embodiments, thesubsequent signature may, like the initial signature, be defined basedon a modal analysis of the information or data captured during thesubsequent execution of the testing sequence, and may include arepresentation of a subsequent spectral density of accelerations, e.g.,linear and/or angular, or vibrations measured during the subsequentexecution of the testing sequence by sensors provided on the aerialvehicle or at the testing facility. Whether the aerial vehicle isexperiencing structural deficiencies, or requires any maintenance,repairs or further inspections, may be determined based at least in parton a comparison of the spectral densities of accelerations or vibrationsmeasured during the initial and subsequent executions of the testingsequence. Additionally, the testing sequence may be performed again andagain, as necessary, e.g., after each mission performed by the aerialvehicle, between any two phases of operation of the aerial vehicle, oron a predetermined schedule.

Sound is generated when motion or vibration of an object results in apressure change in a medium, such as air, surrounding the object. Forexample, when such motion or vibration occurs, the densities of themolecules of the medium within a vicinity of the object are subjected toalternating periods of condensation and rarefaction, resulting incontractions and expansions of such molecules, which causes the issuanceof a sound wave that may travel at speeds of approximately three hundredforty-three meters per second (343 m/s) in dry air. The intensity ofsounds is commonly determined as a sound pressure level (or soundlevel), and is measured in logarithmic units called decibels (dB).

In industrial applications, noise is typically generated as mechanicalnoise, fluid noise or electromagnetic noise. Mechanical noise typicallyresults when a solid vibrating surface, e.g., a driven surface, or asurface in contact with one or linkages or prime movers, emits soundpower that is a function of a density of a medium, the speed of soundwithin the medium, the vibrating area, the mean square vibratingvelocity of the medium to a vibrating area and a mean square vibratingvelocity, and the radiation efficiency of the material. Fluid noisegenerated by turbulent flow is generally proportional to multiple ordersof flow velocity, e.g., six to eight powers greater than the velocity ofthe turbulent flow, while sound power generated by rotating fans isdetermined according to a function of flow rate and static pressure. Inelectric motors, noise may be generated due to airflow at inlets andoutlets of cooling fans, bearing or casing vibrations, motor balancingshaft misalignment or improper motor mountings.

With regard to a frequency spectrum, emitted sounds generally fall intoone of two categories. Sounds having energies that are typicallyconcentrated or centered around discrete frequencies are classified asnarrowband noise, or narrowband tonals, and are commonly periodic innature. Narrowband noise is commonly encountered in many industrialapplications. For example, many rotating machines such as internalcombustion engines, compressors, vacuum pumps or other rotating machinesmay inherently vibrate at frequencies associated with their angularvelocities, as well as electric power transformers that generate largemagnetic fields and thereby vibrate at harmonics of line frequencies.Conversely, sounds having energies that are distributed across bands offrequencies are classified as broadband noise. Additionally, somemachines or sound sources may emit sounds that are combinations ofnarrowband noise and broadband noise, e.g., sounds that have componentenergy levels that are concentrated about one or more discretefrequencies and also across entire frequency spectra.

Aerial vehicles are typically evaluated from time to time for failuresor deficiencies in materials and components. Because aerial vehiclescommonly radiate noise and/or other vibrations in response to thrust orlift forces, flow conditions, impacts or other adverse events, aerialvehicles must be routinely inspected to properly assess risks of failureof a specific component, of the aerial vehicle as a whole, or of aerialvehicles in a fleet. Whether conditions or deficiencies such asmicrofractures, cracks, fractured fasteners, corrosions, fatigue, orother adverse conditions exist on an aerial vehicle may be assessed withrespect to structural components, control surfaces, motors or rotors orappurtenances such as landing gear. In particular, structural joints onaerial vehicles, e.g., concentrated locations where loads and stressesare transferred from one component to another, such as by fasteners, areparticularly susceptible to cracks or other indicia of fatigue. Forexample, relative movement between structural details and fasteners, aswell as stress concentrations, may cause, enable or exacerbatemicrofractures, corrosions or cracking within such fasteners orstructural details, such as fuselage skins or other components. If leftuntreated, microfractures, corrosions or cracking may lead to seriousstructural failures of the structural details or fasteners, or theaerial vehicle as a whole.

The systems and methods of the present disclosure are directed toperforming inspections of aerial vehicles on an automatic and continuousbasis while transitioning between different phases of an aerialvehicle's operation. The systems and methods disclosed herein enabletraditional, periodic and/or manual inspections of aerial vehicles to beaugmented or replaced with continuous inspections that are performedusing information or data gathered by both onboard sensors and alsoground-based sensors. For example, an aerial vehicle may be outfittedwith a number of sensors for aiding in flight control or guidance,including but not limited to one or more Global Positioning System (GPS)sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, acoustic sensors orimaging devices. A ground-based testing facility may further includestationary or mobile sensors, including one or more high qualityacoustic sensors (e.g., high fidelity microphones), one or more imagingdevices (e.g., high frame rate cameras), or any other sensors such asgyroscopes, accelerometers, magnetometers or other sensors. Theintegrity of the aerial vehicle may be evaluated using information ordata captured using such sensors, e.g., to determine an aerodynamicsignature of an aerial vehicle, or detect any failures in blades,bearings, surfaces or rotating components that lead to operationalinconsistencies that deviate from typical behavior, or otherwiseevaluate the integrity of such components based on the information ordata. In some implementations, surfaces or components may be lined orcovered with reflective materials or surfaces. Natural or artificiallight may be directed to such materials or surfaces for enhancing thevisibility of such materials or surfaces and improving the manner inwhich information or data regarding their operability is captured.

The systems and methods disclosed herein may determine whether aerialvehicles require maintenance based on information or data capturedduring phases of operation, and also between phases of operation, of theaerial vehicle. For example, an aerial vehicle may be configured tocapture and store a variety of information or data regarding vibrationsor other acoustic energies that are generated or encountered duringflight. Such information or data may include, but is not limited to,extrinsic information or data, e.g., information or data not directlyrelating to the aerial vehicle, such as environmental conditions (e.g.,temperatures, pressures, humidities, wind speeds and directions), timesof day or days of a week, month or year when an aerial vehicle isoperating, measures of cloud coverage, sunshine, or surface conditionsor textures (e.g., whether surfaces are wet, dry, covered with sand orsnow or have any other texture) within a given environment. Suchinformation or data may also include intrinsic information or data,e.g., information or data relating to the aerial vehicle itself, such asoperational characteristics (e.g., dynamic attributes such as altitudes,courses, speeds, rates of climb or descent, turn rates, oraccelerations; or physical attributes such as dimensions of structuresor frames, numbers of propellers or motors, operating speeds of suchmotors) or tracked positions (e.g., latitudes and/or longitudes) of theaerial vehicles when the acoustic energies are generated or encountered.

In some embodiments, a signature representative of behavior of an aerialvehicle or components thereof may be determined according to modalanalysis techniques. Modal analysis is commonly known as a process fordetermining inherent dynamic characteristics of a system in terms ofnatural frequencies, damping factors and mode shapes, and using suchcharacteristics to formulate a mathematical model of the system'sdynamic behavior. According to a modal analysis theorem, any motion ordynamic response of a system having one or more degrees of freedom maybe represented in one or more vectors including products of mass andacceleration, damping and velocity, and stiffness and displacement ofeach of the discrete parts. For example, a system may be subjected to avibrational excitation, e.g., from intrinsic or extrinsic sources, anddata regarding the system's response to the vibrational excitation maybe captured using one or more sensors. A modal analysis may be performedon the data, and one output of the modal analysis may be a spectraldensity representative of accelerations or vibrations observed in thesystem in response to the vibrational excitation, based on the captureddata.

A mathematical model formulated in response to a modal analysis issometimes called the “modal model,” and the information or datarepresentative of the characteristics by which the modal model is formedis sometimes called the “modal data.” In some modal models, asecond-order differential equation may represent an excitation force asa sum of a product of a mass matrix and an acceleration, a product of adamping matrix and a velocity, and a product of a stiffness matrix anddisplacement. Modal analyses may be used to represent any type ofvibration or other dynamic activity, e.g., using data obtained fromoperations or testing, to obtain a definitive description of a responseof a structure to forces, thereby resolving the vibration or dynamicactivity into a set of simple mode shapes with individual frequency anddamping parameters. This description may be represented qualitatively orquantitatively, e.g., as a signature associated with a structure, whichcan be evaluated against design specifications or other criteria. Thedescription of the response may also be used to construct the modalmodel, which may itself be used to evaluate effects of operations on thestructure, or to predict how the structure will perform and/or respondto changed operating conditions.

When an aerial vehicle returns from a mission, extrinsic information ordata and/or intrinsic information or data captured by aerial vehiclesduring flight may be used in connection with information or datacaptured during testing of one or more powered elements of the aerialvehicle on the ground, e.g., data captured by not only the onboardsensors but also one or more additional sensors provided in or around alanding area or range. Some or all of the information or data capturedby such sensors may be subjected to a modal analysis representative ofresponses of the aerial vehicle to vibrations and/or other phenomenaobserved or encountered during operation of the aerial vehicle, or tovibrations and/or other phenomena during the testing of the one or morepowered elements on the ground. As a result of the modal analysis, asignature may be determined. The signature, and a prior signatureassociated with the aerial vehicle (e.g., a baseline signature, or asignature determined following a previous testing evolution), may beprovided to one or more machine learning algorithms or functions inorder to determine whether the aerial vehicle is operating in asatisfactory or consistent manner, or whether the aerial vehicle isexperiencing any faults or discrepancies, or otherwise requiresmaintenance, repairs or further inspections. For example, using one ormore machine learning systems or tools, the information or data capturedby the onboard sensors and/or the ground-based sensors may beinterpreted in order to determine whether such information or data isrepresentative or indicative of one or more pending or emergingstructural deficiencies, such as microfractures, cracks, loosened orbroken fasteners, corrosions, fatigue, or evidence of other physicalmanifestations of stress or strain in one or more components of anaerial vehicle. Moreover, the machine learning systems or tools of thepresent disclosure may operate in a number of phases or modes.

First, in a training phase or mode, a machine learning system, or one ormore computing devices or machines on which the system resides oroperates, may receive initial or baseline data regarding an aerialvehicle, e.g., data captured using one or more onboard sensors orground-based sensors. Such initial or baseline data may include any dataregarding operations of the aerial vehicle, or noises or vibrationsradiating from an aerial vehicle during such operations, e.g., in one ormore pre-commissioning tests or evaluations. In some embodiments, theinitial or baseline data provided to the machine learning system mayinclude results of a modal analysis performed on data captured using theone or more onboard sensors or ground-based sensors. For example, wherea testing sequence is defined for an aerial vehicle (e.g., a testingsequence associated with each of a plurality of aerial vehicles in aclass, or a customized aerial vehicle), in which each of the poweredelements or components of the aerial vehicle is operated individually orin tandem, the testing sequence may be performed for an initial or trialrun, and acoustic data and imaging data regarding sounds, vibrations orother relevant factors observed during the initial or trial run may becaptured from the aerial vehicle. The acoustic data and/or the imagingdata captured during the initial or trial run, or a signature determinedfor the aerial vehicle based on such acoustic data and/or the imagingdata, may be provided to the machine learning system as training inputs,and an identifier of a satisfactory or baseline condition of the aerialvehicle may be provided to the machine learning system as a trainingoutput. Alternatively, data that is known to be associated with anunsatisfactory condition of the aerial vehicle, or a signaturedetermined based on such data, may be provided to the machine learningsystem as training inputs, and an identifier of an unsatisfactory orfaulted condition of the aerial vehicle may be provided to the machinelearning system as a training output.

Next, after the signature has been trained to associate operational ortesting data captured from or by an aerial vehicle (e.g., by one or moresensors provided on the aerial vehicle or at a testing facility) with acondition of the aerial vehicle, the machine learning system or tool mayreceive data regarding operations or testing of the aerial vehicleincluding but not limited to information or data regarding noises orvibrations radiated from the aerial vehicle during one or more missions,and also noises or vibrations radiated from the aerial vehicle during atesting sequence after the one or more missions have been completed. Forexample, the machine learning system or tool may receive operationaldata regarding the aerial vehicle such as courses, speeds, payloadscarried, operating runtimes and the like during a mission, and alsonoises or other vibrations radiated therefrom during the mission, thatis captured by one or more onboard sensors, as well as testing dataregarding the aerial vehicle captured by the one or more onboard sensorsand one or more ground-based sensors after the mission is complete. Theoperational data and the testing data may be provided to the machinelearning system or tool to determine whether the data, individually orcollectively, suggests that one or more pending or emergingmicrofractures, cracks or other structural deficiencies is present, orwhether any type or form of maintenance, repairs or further inspectionsare required.

Those of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts will recognize that anytype or form of machine learning system (e.g., hardware and/or softwarecomponents or modules) may be utilized in accordance with the presentdisclosure. For example, information or data captured during testing oroperation using onboard sensors or ground-based sensors, or a signatureor other information determined following a modal analysis of suchinformation or data, may be processed and interpreted according to oneor more machine learning algorithms or techniques including but notlimited to nearest neighbor methods or analyses, artificial neuralnetworks, conditional random fields, factorization methods ortechniques, K-means clustering analyses or techniques, similaritymeasures such as log likelihood similarities or cosine similarities,latent Dirichlet allocations or other topic models, or latent semanticanalyses. Using any of the foregoing algorithms or techniques, or anyother algorithms or techniques, information or data regarding the safetyor integrity of one or more aerial vehicles, or maintenance, repairs orfurther inspections required by such vehicles, may be determined.

For example, all data (e.g., acoustic data, imaging data, magnetic data,acceleration data, orientation data, or any other relevant dataregarding vibrations experienced during testing or operation, orstructural integrity), or signatures representative or determined basedon such data, that falls within a predefined threshold or proximity maybe placed in or associated with a common cluster or group for a givenintensity or frequency of emitted sound or vibration level, or a givenlevel or spectrum of observed accelerations. Such clusters or groups maybe defined for an entire set of such data, or, alternatively, among asubset, or a training set, of such data, and extrapolated among theremaining data. Similarly, clusters or groups of characteristics may bedefined and associated with aerial vehicles or structural conditionsbased on co-occurrence frequencies, correlation measurements or anyother associations of the characteristics with such vehicles orconditions.

Those of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts will recognize that anytype or form of aerial vehicle may be evaluated by one or more of thesystems disclosed herein, or in accordance with one or more of themethods disclosed herein, including but not limited to fixed-wing orrotating-wing aircraft. Moreover, such evaluations may be conductedwhile the aerial vehicle is performed or being subjected to one or moreother tasks. For example, data may be captured from an aerial vehicleperforming a predetermined testing sequence, e.g., operating each of themotors and rotors and/or control surfaces of the aerial vehicleindependently or in tandem, while the aerial vehicle is being loadedwith a new payload or otherwise being prepared to perform a new mission.If the data indicates that no maintenance, repairs or furtherinspections are required, the aerial vehicle may be cleared to performthe new mission at the earliest opportunity. If the data indicates thatmaintenance, repairs or further inspections may be needed, however, theaerial vehicle may be blocked from the new mission until any faults havebeen identified and addressed. Additionally, such evaluations may alsobe conducted while an aerial vehicle is traveling, e.g., across a rangeor over or near a predetermined point, or performing any otherfunctions. Moreover, data captured during operations or testing may besubjected to processing (e.g., one or more modal analyses of such data)in real time, in near-real time, or in one or more batch processes inaccordance with the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 2, a block diagram of components of one system 200 forautomated aerial vehicle inspections in accordance with embodiments ofthe present disclosure is shown. The system 200 of FIG. 2 includes anaerial vehicle 210, a testing facility 240 and a data processing system270 connected to one another over a network 280. Except where otherwisenoted, reference numerals preceded by the number “2” shown in the blockdiagram of FIG. 2 indicate components or features that are similar tocomponents or features having reference numerals preceded by the number“1” shown in FIGS. 1A through 1D.

The aerial vehicle 210 includes a processor 212, a memory 214 and atransceiver 216, as well as a plurality of environmental or operationalsensors 220 and a plurality of sound sensors 230.

The processor 212 may be configured to perform any type or form ofcomputing function, including but not limited to the execution of one ormore analytical functions or machine learning algorithms or techniques.For example, the processor 212 may control any aspects of the operationof the aerial vehicle 210 and the one or more computer-based componentsthereon, including but not limited to the transceiver 216, theenvironmental or operational sensors 220, and/or the sound sensors 230.The aerial vehicle 210 may likewise include one or more control systems(not shown) that may generate instructions for conducting operationsthereof, e.g., for operating one or more rotors, motors, rudders,ailerons, flaps or other components provided thereon. Such controlsystems may be associated with one or more other computing devices ormachines, and may communicate with the testing facility 240 and/or thedata processing system 270 or one or more other computer devices (notshown) over the network 280, through the sending and receiving ofdigital data. The aerial vehicle 210 further includes one or more memoryor storage components 214 for storing any type of information or data,e.g., instructions for operating the aerial vehicle, or information ordata captured by one or more of the environmental or operational sensors220 and/or the sound sensors 230.

The transceiver 216 may be configured to enable the aerial vehicle 210to communicate through one or more wired or wireless means, e.g., wiredtechnologies such as Universal Serial Bus (or “USB”) or fiber opticcable, or standard wireless protocols such as Bluetooth® or any WirelessFidelity (or “WiFi”) protocol, such as over the network 280 or directly.

The environmental or operational sensors 220 may include any componentsor features for determining one or more attributes of an environment inwhich the aerial vehicle 210 is operating, or may be expected tooperate, including extrinsic information or data or intrinsicinformation or data. As is shown in FIG. 2, the environmental oroperational sensors 220 may include, but are not limited to, a GlobalPositioning System (“GPS”) receiver or sensor 221, a compass 222, aspeedometer 223, an altimeter 224, a thermometer 225, a barometer 226,an accelerometer 227, or a gyroscope 228. The GPS sensor 221 may be anydevice, component, system or instrument adapted to receive signals(e.g., trilateration data or information) relating to a position of thehandheld device 250 from one or more GPS satellites of a GPS network(not shown). The compass 222 may be any device, component, system, orinstrument adapted to determine one or more directions with respect to aframe of reference that is fixed with respect to the surface of theEarth (e.g., a pole thereof). The speedometer 223 may be any device,component, system, or instrument for determining a speed or velocity ofthe aerial vehicle 210, and may include related components (not shown)such as pitot tubes, accelerometers, or other features for determiningspeeds, velocities, or accelerations.

The altimeter 224 may be any device, component, system, or instrumentfor determining an altitude of the aerial vehicle 210, and may includeany number of barometers, transmitters, receivers, range finders (e.g.,laser or radar) or other features for determining heights. Thethermometer 225 and the barometer 226 may be any devices, components,systems, or instruments for determining local air temperatures oratmospheric pressures, respectively, within a vicinity of the aerialvehicle 210. The accelerometer 227 may be any mechanical or electricaldevice, component, system, or instrument for sensing or measuringaccelerations, including but not limited to devices having one or morepotentiometers, linear variable differential transformers, variablereluctance devices or piezoelectric components.

The gyroscope 228 may be any mechanical or electrical device, component,system, or instrument for determining an orientation, e.g., theorientation of the aerial vehicle 210. For example, the gyroscope 228may be a traditional mechanical gyroscope having at least a pair ofgimbals and a flywheel or rotor. Alternatively, the gyroscope 228 may bean electrical component such a dynamically tuned gyroscope, a fiberoptic gyroscope, a hemispherical resonator gyroscope, a London momentgyroscope, a microelectromechanical sensor gyroscope, a ring lasergyroscope, or a vibrating structure gyroscope, or any other type or formof electrical component for determining an orientation of the aerialvehicle 210. The magnetometer 229 may be any electrical component formeasuring a strength of a magnetic field, such as a vector magnetometeror a scalar magnetometer (e.g., a proton precession magnetometer, anOverhauser magnetometer, an ionized gas magnetometer, a rotating coilmagnetometer, a Hall Effect magnetometer, or the like).

Those of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts will recognize that theenvironmental or operational sensors 220 may include any type or form ofdevice or component for determining an environmental condition within avicinity of the aerial vehicle 210 in accordance with the presentdisclosure. For example, the environmental or operational sensors 220may include one or more air monitoring sensors (e.g., oxygen, ozone,hydrogen, carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide sensors or hygrometers),infrared sensors, ozone monitors, pH sensors, magnetic anomalydetectors, metal detectors, radiation sensors (e.g., Geiger counters,neutron detectors, alpha detectors), attitude indicators, depth gaugesor the like, as well as one or more imaging devices (e.g., digitalcameras), and are not limited to the sensors 221, 222, 223, 224, 225,226, 227, 228, 229 shown in FIG. 2.

The sound sensors 230 may include other components or features fordetecting and capturing sound energy in a vicinity of an environment inwhich the aerial vehicle 210 is operating, or may be expected tooperate. As is shown in FIG. 2, the sound sensors 230 may include amicrophone 232, a piezoelectric sensor 234, and a vibration sensor 236.The microphone 232 may be any type or form of transducer (e.g., adynamic microphone, a condenser microphone, a ribbon microphone, acrystal microphone) configured to convert acoustic energy of anyintensity and across any or all frequencies into one or more electricalsignals, and may include any number of diaphragms, magnets, coils,plates, or other like features for detecting and recording such energy.The microphone 232 may also be provided as a discrete component, or incombination with one or more other components, e.g., an imaging devicesuch as a digital camera. Furthermore, the microphone 232 may beconfigured to detect and record acoustic energy from any and alldirections.

The piezoelectric sensor 234 may be configured to convert changes inpressure to electrical signals, including but not limited to suchpressure changes that are initiated by the presence of acoustic energyacross various bands of frequencies, and may include one or morecrystals, electrodes or other features. The vibration sensor 236 may beany device configured to detect vibrations of one or more components ofthe aerial vehicle 210, and may also be a piezoelectric device. Forexample, the vibration sensor 236 may include one or moreaccelerometers, e.g., an application-specific integrated circuit and oneor more microelectromechanical sensors in a land grid array package,that are configured to sense differential accelerations along one ormore axes over predetermined periods of time and to associate suchaccelerations with levels of vibration and, therefore, sound.

The testing facility 240 may be any facility, structure, station orother location where one or more automated inspections may be performedon one or more aerial vehicles, such as the aerial vehicle 210. Thetesting facility 240 may include one or more features or components forenabling arrivals or departures of aerial vehicles therefrom, such asthe landing pad 145 shown in FIGS. 1A through 1D. In some embodiments,the testing facility 240 may be provided in association with one or morefacilities, structures, stations or locations associated with one ormore missions to be performed by the aerial vehicle 210, e.g., deliveryor surveillance operations. In some other embodiments, the testingfacility 240 may be an independent or freestanding facility, structure,station or location not associated with any one specific mission.

As is shown in FIG. 2, the testing facility 240 includes a number ofcomputer components, including one or more physical computer servers 242having a plurality of databases 244 associated therewith, as well as oneor more computer processors 246. The testing facility 240 furtherincludes a plurality of sensors 250, including but not limited to one ormore microphones 252 (or other acoustic sensors) and one or more imagingdevices 254 (e.g., digital cameras).

The servers 242, the databases 244 and the processors 246 may beprovided for controlling any aspect of the operations of the testingfacility 240, including but not limited to receiving, analyzing and/orstoring information or data captured by the environmental or operationalsensors 220, the sound sensors 230 and/or the facility sensors 250. Forexample, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure,the servers 242 and/or the processors 246 may transmit instructions toone or more aerial vehicles, e.g., the aerial vehicle 210, regarding atesting sequence to be performed thereby at the testing facility 240.The servers 242 and/or the processors 246 may also receive informationor data from the one or more aerial vehicles regarding operational datacaptured during the performance of one or more missions, e.g., by theenvironmental or operational sensors 220 or the sound sensors 230,and/or testing data captured during the execution of a testing sequence,e.g., by either the environmental or operational sensors 220, the soundsensors 230 or the facility sensors 250, and store such information ordata in the one or more databases 244. Additionally, the servers 242and/or the processors 246 may also communicate with one or more othercomputer devices (not shown) over the network 280, as indicated by line248, through the sending and receiving of digital data.

Like the microphone 232, the microphone 252 may be any type or form oftransducer (e.g., a dynamic microphone, a condenser microphone, a ribbonmicrophone, a crystal microphone) configured to convert acoustic energyof any intensity and across any or all frequencies into one or moreelectrical signals, and may include any number of diaphragms, magnets,coils, plates, or other like features for detecting and recording suchenergy. The microphone 252 may also be provided as a discrete component,or in combination with one or more other components, e.g., an imagingdevice such as a digital camera. Furthermore, the microphone 252 may beconfigured to detect and record acoustic energy from any and alldirections. In addition to microphones, the testing facility 250 mayutilize or operate any number of other acoustic sensors, e.g.,piezoelectric sensors 234 and/or vibration sensors 236.

The imaging device 254 may be any form of optical recording device thatmay be used to photograph or otherwise record imaging data of aerialvehicles within the testing facility 240, or for any other purpose. Theimaging device 254 may include one or more sensors, memory or storagecomponents and processors, and such sensors, memory components orprocessors may further include one or more photosensitive surfaces,filters, chips, electrodes, clocks, boards, timers or any other relevantfeatures (not shown). Such imaging devices 254 may capture imaging datain the form of one or more still or moving images of any kind or form,as well as any relevant audio signals or other information, within oneor more designated locations within the testing facility 240, and may beconnected to the server 242 and/or the processor 244 or with one anotherby way of a wired or wireless connection that may be dedicated orcomprise all or part of an internal network (not shown). Additionally,the imaging device 254 may be adapted or otherwise configured tocommunicate with the aerial vehicle 210 or the data processing system270, or to access one or more other computer devices by way of thenetwork 280.

Moreover, the imaging device 254 may also include manual or automaticfeatures for modifying a respective position, field of view ororientation. For example, a digital camera may be configured in a fixedposition, or with a fixed focal length (e.g., fixed-focus lenses) orangular orientation. Alternatively, the imaging device 254 may includeone or more actuated or motorized features for adjusting a position ofthe imaging device 254, or for adjusting either the focal length (e.g.,zooming the imaging device 254) or the angular orientation (e.g., theroll angle, the pitch angle or the yaw angle), by causing a change inthe distance between the sensor and the lens (e.g., optical zoom lensesor digital zoom lenses), a change in the location of the imaging device254, or a change in one or more of the angles defining the angularorientation.

For example, the imaging device 254 may be hard-mounted to a support ormounting that maintains the device in a fixed configuration or anglewith respect to one, two or three axes. Alternatively, however, theimaging device 254 may be provided with one or more motors and/orcontrollers for manually or automatically operating one or more of thecomponents, or for reorienting a position, axis or direction of theimaging device 254, i.e., by moving, panning or tilting the imagingdevice 254. Panning the imaging device 254 may cause a rotation within ahorizontal plane or about a vertical axis (e.g., a yaw), while tiltingthe imaging device 254 may cause a rotation within a vertical plane orabout a horizontal axis (e.g., a pitch). Additionally, the imagingdevice 254 may be rolled, or rotated about its axis of rotation, andwithin a plane that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation andsubstantially parallel to a field of view of the imaging device 254. Theimaging device 254 may also be provided on a vehicle enabled to passwithin an operating range of the aerial vehicle 210.

The imaging device 254 may also digitally or electronically adjust animage identified in a field of view, subject to one or more physical andoperational constraints. For example, the imaging device 254 mayvirtually stretch or condense the pixels of an image in order to focusor broaden the field of view of the imaging device 254, and alsotranslate one or more portions of images within the field of view.Imaging devices having optically adjustable focal lengths or axes oforientation are commonly referred to as pan-tilt-zoom (or “PTZ”) imagingdevices, while imaging devices having digitally or electronicallyadjustable zooming or translating features are commonly referred to aselectronic PTZ (or “ePTZ”) imaging devices.

Although the testing facility 240 of FIG. 2 includes a single boxcorresponding to one microphone 252 and a single box corresponding toone imaging device 254, those of ordinary skill in the pertinent artswill recognize that any number or type of microphones or imaging devicesmay be provided at the testing facility 240 in accordance with thepresent disclosure. Moreover, in addition to the microphone 252 and theimaging device 254, the testing facility 240 may be configured orequipped with one or more other ground-based sensors, including but notlimited to accelerometers, gyroscopes and/or magnetometers, or othersound sensors or imaging devices.

The data processing system 270 includes one or more physical computerservers 272 having a plurality of databases 274 associated therewith, aswell as one or more computer processors 276 provided for any specific orgeneral purpose. For example, the data processing system 270 of FIG. 2may be independently provided for the exclusive purpose of receiving,analyzing or storing acoustic signals or other information or datareceived from the aerial vehicle 210 or, alternatively, provided inconnection with one or more physical or virtual services configured toreceive, analyze or store such acoustic signals, information or data, aswell as one or more other functions. The servers 272 may be connected toor otherwise communicate with the databases 274 and the processors 276.The databases 274 may store any type of information or data, includingbut not limited to acoustic signals, information or data relating toacoustic signals, or information or data regarding environmentalconditions, operational characteristics, or positions, for any purpose.The servers 272 and/or the computer processors 276 may also connect toor otherwise communicate with the network 280, as indicated by line 278,through the sending and receiving of digital data. For example, the dataprocessing system 270 may include any facilities, stations or locationshaving the ability or capacity to receive and store information or data,such as media files, in one or more data stores, e.g., media filesreceived from the aerial vehicle 210, or from one another, or from oneor more other external computer systems (not shown) via the network 280.In some embodiments, the data processing system 270 may be provided in aphysical location. In other such embodiments, the data processing system270 may be provided in one or more alternate or virtual locations, e.g.,in a “cloud”-based environment. In still other embodiments, the dataprocessing system 270 may be provided onboard one or more aerialvehicles, including but not limited to the aerial vehicle 210.

The network 280 may be any wired network, wireless network, orcombination thereof, and may comprise the Internet in whole or in part.In addition, the network 280 may be a personal area network, local areanetwork, wide area network, cable network, satellite network, cellulartelephone network, or combination thereof. The network 280 may also be apublicly accessible network of linked networks, possibly operated byvarious distinct parties, such as the Internet. In some embodiments, thenetwork 280 may be a private or semi-private network, such as acorporate or university intranet. The network 280 may include one ormore wireless networks, such as a Global System for MobileCommunications (GSM) network, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)network, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, or some other type ofwireless network. Protocols and components for communicating via theInternet or any of the other aforementioned types of communicationnetworks are well known to those skilled in the art of computercommunications and thus, need not be described in more detail herein.

The computers, servers, devices and the like described herein have thenecessary electronics, software, memory, storage, databases, firmware,logic/state machines, microprocessors, communication links, displays orother visual or audio user interfaces, printing devices, and any otherinput/output interfaces to provide any of the functions or servicesdescribed herein and/or achieve the results described herein. Also,those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art will recognize that usersof such computers, servers, devices and the like may operate a keyboard,keypad, mouse, stylus, touch screen, or other device (not shown) ormethod to interact with the computers, servers, devices and the like, orto “select” an item, link, node, hub or any other aspect of the presentdisclosure.

The aerial vehicle 210, the testing facility 240 or the data processingsystem 270 may use any web-enabled or Internet applications or features,or any other client-server applications or features including E-mail orother messaging techniques, to connect to the network 280, or tocommunicate with one another, such as through short or multimediamessaging service (SMS or MMS) text messages. For example, the aerialvehicle 210 may be adapted to transmit information or data in the formof synchronous or asynchronous messages to the testing facility 240 orthe data processing system 270 or to any other computer device in realtime or in near-real time, or in one or more offline processes, via thenetwork 280. Those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art wouldrecognize that the aerial vehicle 210, the testing facility 240 or thedata processing system 270 may operate, include or be associated withany of a number of computing devices that are capable of communicatingover the network, including but not limited to set-top boxes, personaldigital assistants, digital media players, web pads, laptop computers,desktop computers, electronic book readers, and the like. The protocolsand components for providing communication between such devices are wellknown to those skilled in the art of computer communications and neednot be described in more detail herein.

The data and/or computer executable instructions, programs, firmware,software and the like (also referred to herein as “computer executable”components) described herein may be stored on a computer-readable mediumthat is within or accessible by computers or computer components such asthe processor 212, the processor 244 or the processor 274, or any othercomputers or control systems utilized by the aerial vehicle 210, thetesting facility 240 or the data processing system 270, and havingsequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor (e.g., acentral processing unit, or “CPU”), cause the processor to perform allor a portion of the functions, services and/or methods described herein.Such computer executable instructions, programs, software, and the likemay be loaded into the memory of one or more computers using a drivemechanism associated with the computer readable medium, such as a floppydrive, CD-ROM drive, DVD-ROM drive, network interface, or the like, orvia external connections.

Some embodiments of the systems and methods of the present disclosuremay also be provided as a computer-executable program product includinga non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having stored thereoninstructions (in compressed or uncompressed form) that may be used toprogram a computer (or other electronic device) to perform processes ormethods described herein. The machine-readable storage media of thepresent disclosure may include, but is not limited to, hard drives,floppy diskettes, optical disks, CD-ROMs, DVDs, ROMs, RAMs, erasableprogrammable ROMs (“EPROM”), electrically erasable programmable ROMs(“EEPROM”), flash memory, magnetic or optical cards, solid-state memorydevices, or other types of media/machine-readable medium that may besuitable for storing electronic instructions. Further, embodiments mayalso be provided as a computer executable program product that includesa transitory machine-readable signal (in compressed or uncompressedform). Examples of machine-readable signals, whether modulated using acarrier or not, may include, but are not limited to, signals that acomputer system or machine hosting or running a computer program can beconfigured to access, or including signals that may be downloadedthrough the Internet or other networks.

As is discussed above, an aerial vehicle may be evaluated following acompleted mission based on information or data captured both by one ormore onboard sensors during the mission and also by the onboard sensorsand one or more ground-based sensors after the mission has beencompleted, or between two phases of operation of the aerial vehicle.Referring to FIG. 3, a flow chart 300 of one process for automatedaerial vehicle inspections in accordance with embodiments is shown. Atbox 310, an aerial vehicle arrives at a sensor-equipped testing facilityfollowing the completion of a mission. For example, the aerial vehiclemay have been tasked with delivering a payload from one location toanother location, performing one or more law enforcement or surveillanceoperations, or any other mission. The testing facility may be located atan origin of the mission, a destination for the mission, or anintermediate or other point that is neither the origin nor thedestination.

At box 320, the aerial vehicle uploads operational data that wascaptured by onboard sensors during the mission to testing facilityservers. For example, such information may include extrinsic informationor data, e.g., environmental conditions encountered during the mission,as well as intrinsic information or data, e.g., dynamic attributes suchas altitudes, courses, speeds, rates of climb or descent, turn rates, oraccelerations of the aerial vehicle during the mission, or noise orvibrations radiated thereby, and may be transferred to one or moreservers via wired or wireless means.

At box 330, the aerial vehicle performs an automated testing sequence onthe rotors and control surfaces. For example, the aerial vehicle mayoperate each of the motors and/or rotors provided thereon independentlyor in tandem, at any range of operating speeds, and may cause controlsurfaces such as rudders, elevators, stabilizers, spoilers, ailerons,flaps or slats to move within any range of operation (e.g., linear orangular displacement). At box 340, the aerial vehicle's onboard sensorscapture testing data during the performance of the automated testingsequence, while in parallel, at box 345, the testing facility's sensorscapture testing data during the performance of the automated testingsequence. For example, referring again to FIGS. 1C and 1D, the aerialvehicle 110 may operate each of the motors 113-1, 113-2, 113-3, 113-4within acoustic ranges of the microphones 152-1, 152-2 and within fieldsof view of the imaging devices 154-1, 154-2, and also within operationalranges of any other sensors (not shown) provided at the testing facility140. At box 350, the aerial vehicle uploads the testing data that itcaptured to the testing facility servers.

At box 360, one or more diagnostic evaluations are performed on theoperational data and the testing data captured by the aerial vehicleonboard sensors and the ground-based testing facility sensors. Thediagnostic evaluations may be used to determine whether the aerialvehicle is operating properly or effectively, or whether the aerialvehicle is experiencing one or more microfractures, cracks, loosened orbroken fasteners, corrosions, fatigue, or evidence of other physicalmanifestations of stress or strain. The aerial vehicle may operatedifferently, both visibly and audibly, or in other manners, when theaerial vehicle requires maintenance, repairs or further inspections ascompared to when the aerial vehicle is newly constructed or has justcompleted maintenance, repairs or further inspections. For example, insome embodiments, a signature may be defined for the operation of theaerial vehicle based on the operational data, the testing data or acombination of the operational data and the testing data, which mayinclude imaging data captured at high frame rates, acoustic datacaptured using one or more microphones or other acoustic devices,magnetic data captured using one or more magnetometers, or any othersensed data. The signature may be compared to a baseline signature forthe aerial vehicle, a predicted signature for the aerial vehicle basedon the aerial vehicle's age, run time or operating history orcharacteristics, or any other standard.

At box 370, if the results of the diagnostic evaluations aresatisfactory, then the process advances to box 380, where the aerialvehicle receives a payload for its next mission, and to box 385, wherethe aerial vehicle departs with the payload on its next mission. If theresults of the diagnostic evaluations are unsatisfactory, however, thenthe process advances to box 390, where the aerial vehicle is blockedfrom its next mission, and the process ends. For example, the aerialvehicle may be taken out-of-service based for a manual or visualinspection to determine the cause for any deviations or non-compliantaspects of the diagnostic evaluations, or to implement one or morerepairs to the aerial vehicle. In some embodiments, the cause of theunsatisfactory diagnostic evaluations may be readily apparent from theoperational data and/or testing data itself, and a manual or visualinspection need not be necessary prior to initiating repairs.

As is discussed above, the automated inspection systems and methodsdisclosed herein may be performed on any type of aerial vehicle, andbased on automated testing sequences that operate each of the rotors,motors, engines, control surfaces or other aspects of the aerial vehiclewithin a field of view and/or an acoustic range of one or more sensors.Referring to FIGS. 4A through 4C, views of aspects of one system 400 forautomated aerial vehicle inspections in accordance with embodiments ofthe present disclosure are shown. As is shown in FIG. 4A, an aerialvehicle 410 is shown on a landing area 445 at a testing facility 440.Except where otherwise noted, reference numerals preceded by the number“4” shown in FIGS. 4A through 4C indicate components or features thatare similar to components or features having reference numerals precededby the number “2” shown in FIG. 2 or by the number “1” shown in FIGS. 1Athrough 1D.

The aerial vehicle 410 includes a motor 413, a rotor 415, a pair ofailerons 417-1, 417-2 or flaps and a rudder 419. The testing facility440 includes a microphone 452 and an imaging device 454 aligned tocapture acoustic data or imaging data from aerial vehicles 410 operatingwithin the landing area 445.

The motor 413 is configured to rotate the rotor 415 about an axisdefined by a shaft (not shown) of the motor 413. The ailerons 417-1,417-2 are hinged control surfaces that are aligned along trailing edgesof the wings of the aerial vehicle 410 and may be operated in order tocause a change in a lift vector (e.g., a vertical direction of force) ofthe aerial vehicle 410 during flight, e.g., by rotating the ailerons417-1, 417-2 about the hinges above or below the wings within apredefined angular range. The rudder 419 is another hinged controlsurface that is aligned along a trailing edge of a tail of the aerialvehicle 410 and may be operated in order to cause a change in a thrustvector (e.g., a horizontal direction of force) of the aerial vehicle 410during flight, e.g., by rotating the rudder 419 about the hinge to aleft or a right of the tail within a predefined angular range.

In accordance with the present disclosure, upon an arrival of the aerialvehicle 410 at the landing area 445, or at any other time between phasesof operation of the aerial vehicle 410, the aerial vehicle 410 may beoperated according to a testing sequence, e.g., independently and/or intandem, within an acoustic range of the microphone 452 and a field ofview of the imaging device 454. For example, as is shown in FIG. 4B, themotor 413 may cause the rotor 415 to rotate, and acoustic data 453-1(e.g., sound pressure levels and/or frequency spectrums) and imagingdata 455-1 (e.g., a series of images, preferably captured at high framerates) may be captured from the aerial vehicle 410 in general, and fromthe motor 413 and the rotor 415 in particular, as the motor 413 and therotor 415 are operating at any range of operational speeds. Similarly,as is also shown in FIG. 4B, acoustic data 453-2 and imaging data 455-2are captured during operation of the aileron 417-2, while acoustic data453-3 and imaging data 455-3 are captured during the operation of theaileron 417-1, and acoustic data 453-4 and imaging data 455-4 arecaptured during the operation of the rudder 419. The acoustic data453-1, 453-2, 453-3, 453-4 and the imaging data 455-1, 455-2, 455-3,455-4 may, once captured, be transferred to one or more servers 442associated with the testing facility 440, e.g., in the same physicallocation, or in one or more alternate or virtual locations, such as in a“cloud”-based environment.

Using the one or more servers 442, the acoustic data 453-1, 453-2,453-3, 453-4 and the imaging data 455-1, 455-2, 455-3, 455-4 areprocessed to determine whether any of the data is out-of-specificationor otherwise indicates that maintenance, repairs or further inspectionsmay be required. For example, in some embodiments, spectral densities ofmeasured accelerations, including linear accelerations, angularaccelerations, or both linear and angular accelerations, may be comparedto a baseline or predicted signature, and any deviations between thespectral densities and the baseline or predicted signature may indicatethat the aerial vehicle 410 requires maintenance, repairs or furtherinspections as a whole, or that one or more specific elements of theaerial vehicle 410 require maintenance, repairs or further inspections.

As is shown in FIG. 4C, when the acoustic data 453-3 and the imagingdata 455-3 captured during the operation of the aileron 417-1 isdetermined to be out-of-specification, one or more manual or visualinspections of the aileron 417-1 may be conducted in order to search formicrofractures, cracks, loosened or broken fasteners, corrosions,fatigue, or evidence of other physical manifestations of stress orstrain. Although the landing area 445 of FIG. 4A includes just a pair ofsensors, viz., the microphone 452 and the imaging device 454, those ofordinary skill in the pertinent arts will recognize that testingfacilities may include any number of sensors, of any type (e.g., notonly imaging devices or acoustic sensors but also magnetometers or anyother sensors), and that data captured using such sensors may be used todetermine whether an aerial vehicle requires maintenance or inspection.

As is discussed above, determinations as to whether an aerial vehicle isexperiencing any faults or discrepancies, or otherwise requiresmaintenance or repair, may be made based on comparisons of testing data(e.g., acoustic data, imaging data, magnetic data, vibration data, ordata regarding radiated noise) captured during an execution of apredetermined testing sequence between phases of operation of the aerialvehicle, and baseline data or predicted data. For example, where dataregarding accelerations or vibrations of all or portions of an aerialvehicle is measured during operations or testing, a spectral density ofthe measured data and/or the accelerations or vibrations may be comparedto a baseline signature generated following an initial execution of thepredetermined testing sequence prior to initiating operations with theaerial vehicle, or a signature generated following any prior executionof the predetermined testing sequence.

Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, a flow chart 500 of one process forautomated aerial vehicle inspections in accordance with embodiments ofthe present disclosure is shown. At box 510, an aerial vehicleconfigured for performing missions is placed in a sensor-equippedtesting facility for initial testing. For example, the aerial vehiclemay be transported, carried or delivered to a location at a testingfacility, such as the landing pad 145 of FIGS. 1A through 1D or thelanding area 445 of FIG. 4A, that is outfitted with one or more sensors,e.g., acoustic sensors, imaging devices, magnetometers or other sensors.At box 515, an automated testing sequence may be performed on the rotorsand control surfaces of the aerial vehicle for the first time, e.g.,within operating ranges of the sensors at the testing facility. Forexample, the aerial vehicle may be subjected to a shakedown operationfollowing an initial construction or assembly, or after a maintenanceevolution has been completed.

At box 520, sensors onboard the aerial vehicle capture initial testingdata during the performance of the automated testing sequence, while inparallel, at box 525, sensors at the testing facility capture initialtesting data during the performance of the automated testing sequence.For example, any acoustic sensors, imaging devices, gyroscopes,accelerometers, magnetometers or other sensors provided on the aerialvehicle or at the testing facility may remain operating and capturingdata while the various motors, rotors, rudders, elevators, stabilizers,spoilers, ailerons, flaps or slats on the aerial vehicle are operatedeither individually or in tandem. At box 530, the aerial vehicle uploadsthe initial testing data captured by the onboard sensors to one or moreservers at the testing facility, which may be in communication with thetesting facility sensors, as well.

At box 535, an initial signature is generated based on the initialtesting data captured by the aerial vehicle onboard sensors and testingfacility sensors. For example, the initial signature may be generatedbased on one or more sound pressure levels or frequency spectrumsradiating from one or more components of the aerial vehicle, which maybe captured by either the onboard sensors or the ground-based sensors.Likewise, the initial signature may be generated based on vibrationlevels or data detected by an onboard gyroscope during the operation ofthe one or more components. Moreover, the initial signature may furthertake into account observed vibrations or activity represented in imagingdata captured by one or more onboard or ground-based imaging devices,e.g., high frame rate digital cameras. Any type of form of testing datacaptured during an initial performance of the automated testing sequencemay be considered and incorporated into an initial signature, which maybe generated by any algorithm or function. For example, some or all ofthe testing data captured by the onboard sensors and/or the ground-basedsensors may be provided to a machine learning system or tool operated byservers at the testing facility, or in one or more alternate or virtuallocations, e.g., in a “cloud”-based environment. Moreover, the initialsignature may be generated based at least in part on results of a modalanalysis of the initial testing data captured by the aerial vehicleonboard sensors and testing facility sensors.

After initial testing of the aerial vehicle has been completed, and theinitial signature has been generated thereby, the process advances tobox 540, where the aerial vehicle departs for a mission, e.g., with apayload of one or more objects. At box 545, the aerial vehicle returnsfrom the mission, e.g., after delivering a payload, or after retrievinga payload, and at box 550, the aerial vehicle is placed into asensor-equipped testing facility upon its return. For example, thetesting facility may be the same facility at which the initial testingwas performed, or a similarly configured testing facility, which may beassociated with a destination for the mission or, alternatively, anorigin or an intermediate point that is neither the origin nor thedestination.

At box 555, the aerial vehicle performs the automated testing sequenceon the rotors and the control surfaces within the testing facility. Inparallel, at boxes 560 and 565, the aerial vehicle's onboard sensors andthe testing facility's ground-based sensors capture testing data duringthe performance of the automated testing sequence upon the return of theaerial vehicle. At box 570, the aerial vehicle uploads the testing datacaptured by the onboard sensors to the testing facility servers.Alternatively, the aerial vehicle may further upload environmentaland/or operational data captured by the aerial vehicle during themission, or any other relevant data regarding the aerial vehicle or themission.

At box 575, a signature is generated based on the testing data capturedby the aerial vehicle's onboard sensors and the testing facility'ssensors. For example, where the initial signature was generated byproviding the initial testing data to a machine learning system or tool,the testing data captured at box 560 and box 565 may also be provided tothe same machine learning system or tool as inputs, and a signature maybe generated based on outputs. The signature may be generated at box 575based on the testing data in any manner consistent with the generationof the initial signature at box 535, e.g., based on a modal analysis ofthe testing data.

At box 580, whether the signature generated at box 575 is consistentwith the initial signature generated at box 535 is determined. Forexample, where the initial signature generated at box 575 reflects soundpressure levels, frequency spectrums or other indicia of noise radiatedby the aerial vehicle during initial testing, or vibrations experiencedby the aerial vehicle during the initial testing, the signaturegenerated at box 535 may be compared to the initial signature generatedat box 575 to determine whether the sound pressure levels, frequencyspectrums or other indicia of noise or vibration radiated by the aerialvehicle during testing or operation are consistent therewith, e.g.,whether such indicia are equal to those of the initial signature, orwithin a predetermined range or limit thereof. The initial signature mayalso be defined for a class to which the aerial vehicle belongs, for thetesting facility, for the mission, or on any other basis.

If the signature is consistent with the initial signature, then theprocess advances to box 585, where the aerial vehicle is cleared foradditional missions, before returning to box 540, where the aerialvehicle departs for another mission. If the signature is not consistentwith the initial signature, however, then the process advances to box590, where the aerial vehicle is blocked from performing additionalmissions, and the process ends.

As is discussed above, the systems and methods of the present disclosuremay determine whether an aerial vehicle is experiencing faults ordiscrepancies such as microfractures, cracks, loosened or brokenfasteners, corrosions, fatigue, or evidence of other physicalmanifestations of stress or strain by capturing information and dataregarding noise or vibrations radiating therefrom during the performanceof an automated testing sequence using onboard sensors and/orground-based sensors between phases of operation, such as upon returningfrom a first mission and prior to departing for a second mission. Suchinformation or data may be compared to previously captured informationor data regarding the performance of the automated testing sequence.

Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, views of aspects of one system 600 forautomated aerial vehicle inspections in accordance with embodiments ofthe present disclosure are shown. Except where otherwise noted,reference numerals preceded by the number “6” shown in FIGS. 6A and 6Bindicate components or features that are similar to components orfeatures having reference numerals preceded by the number “4” shown inFIGS. 4A through 4C, by the number “2” shown in FIG. 2 or by the number“1” shown in FIGS. 1A through 1D.

The system 600 includes an aerial vehicle 610 and a testing facility640. The aerial vehicle 610 includes at least one motor 613 having atleast one rotor 615, as well as an accelerometer 627, a gyroscope 628and a magnetometer 629. The testing facility 640 includes at least oneserver 642, at least one microphone 652 and at least one imaging device654. As is shown in FIG. 6A, the aerial vehicle 610 may operate themotor 613 at a time t₁ to cause the rotor 615 to rotate in accordancewith a predetermined testing sequence with one or more other motors androtors (not shown) or control surfaces (not shown). The operation of themotor 613 and the rotor 615 may occur within an acoustic range of themicrophone 652 and within a field of view of the imaging device 654.

During or following the operation of the motor 613, informationregarding accelerations a₁ or orientations ϕ₁ of the aerial vehicle 610during the operation of the motor 613, or magnetic fields B₁ emitted bythe aerial vehicle 610 during the operation of the motor 613, asdetermined by the accelerometer 627, the gyroscope 628 or themagnetometer 629, may be transferred from the aerial vehicle 610 to thetesting facility servers 642. Likewise, acoustic data N₁, f₁ captured bythe microphone 652 and imaging data captured by the imaging device 654may also be transferred to the testing facility servers 642. A signaturefor the aerial vehicle 610 and/or the motor 613 operating at time t₁ maybe generated by the testing facility servers 642 based on a modalanalysis, or by any other algorithm or function, using the informationor data captured by the accelerometer 627, the gyroscope 628, themagnetometer 629, the microphone 652 or the imaging device 654, or oneor more other sensors (not shown) aboard the aerial vehicle 610 and/orat the testing facility 640. For example, the signature may indicate orreflect an extent to which the aerial vehicle 610 itself or one or morecomponents thereof vibrates during an operation of the motor 613.

Similarly, the motor 613 may be operated again at a later time,according to an automated testing sequence executed upon an arrivalduring or after a mission, or between phases of operation of the aerialvehicle 610. As is shown in FIG. 6B, the aerial vehicle 610 may operatethe motor 613 and the rotor 615 at a later time t₂, within the acousticrange of the microphone 652 and within the field of view of the imagingdevice 654. During or following the operation of the motor 613,information regarding accelerations a₂ or orientations ϕ₂ of the aerialvehicle 610 during the operation of the motor 613, or magnetic fields B₂emitted by the aerial vehicle 610 during the operation of the motor 613,as determined by the accelerometer 627, the gyroscope 628 or themagnetometer 629, as well as acoustic data N₂, f₂ captured by themicrophone 652 and imaging data captured by the imaging device 654 maybe transferred to the testing facility servers 642. A signature for theaerial vehicle 610 and/or the motor 613 operating at time t₂ may begenerated by the testing facility servers 642 based on a modal analysis,or by any other algorithm or function, in the same manner as thesignature for the aerial vehicle 610 and/or the motor 613 operating attime t₁. Differences between observed data as reflected in therespective signatures may indicate different levels of noise orvibration generated during the operation of the motor 613 at differenttimes, suggesting that the motor 613 and/or one or more other componentsof the aerial vehicle 610 may require maintenance, repairs or furtherinspections.

Operating data or other information collected during the performance ofa mission may be used to determine which or whether maintenance, repairsor inspections are to be performed upon a return of an aerial vehiclefollowing the mission. The operating data may be transmitted to atesting facility or other facility for diagnoses or analyses, and, ifnecessary, one or more maintenance, repairs or inspections to beperformed on the aerial vehicle (e.g., a customized testing sequence)may be recommended based on such diagnoses or analyses, eitherimmediately or upon its return after completing the mission. If specifictests to be performed are not identified based on the diagnoses oranalyses of the operating data, then the aerial vehicle may be subjectedto a standard battery of tests (e.g., a standardized testing sequence)upon its return.

Referring to FIG. 7, a flow chart 700 of one process for automatedaerial vehicle inspections in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure is shown. At box 710, an aerial vehicle departs for amission, e.g., to deliver or retrieve a payload, and at box 715, sensorsonboard the aerial vehicle capture operating data during the mission.For example, the operating data may relate to dynamic attributes such asaltitudes, courses, speeds, rates of climb or descent, turn rates, oraccelerations of the aerial vehicle during the mission, or noise orvibrations radiated thereby during the mission. Alternatively,information or data referring or relating to environmental conditionsencountered during the mission (e.g., temperatures, pressures,humidities, wind speeds and directions), or any other relevantinformation or data regarding the mission, may also be captured.

At box 720, the aerial vehicle transmits the operating data to one ormore testing facility servers. The transmission may occur wirelessly viaone or more networks, such as cellular telephone networks, satellitenetworks, or the like, and may occur in real time (e.g., as theoperating data is captured), in near-real time, or in one or more batchjobs, e.g., asynchronously or synchronously, or in accordance with apredetermined schedule or when the aerial vehicle is at a predeterminedlocation, such as within a vicinity or range of a transmitting orreceiving device (e.g., an antenna). At box 725, the testing facilityperforms one or more diagnostic operations on the operating datareceived from the aerial vehicle. For example, the testing facility maydetermine whether the aerial vehicle is operating normally, and inaccordance with a transit plan, or whether the aerial vehicle hasencountered one or more intrinsic or extrinsic faults or unexpectedconditions, or is otherwise operating in an aberrant or erratic manner.At box 730, whether the operating data is satisfactory is determined,e.g., by comparison to one or more thresholds or ranges, or operatinghistories for the aerial vehicle in general, or for a specificenvironment in which the aerial vehicle is operating.

If the operating data is deemed satisfactory at box 730, then theprocess advances to box 735, where it is determined whether the aerialvehicle has returned from its mission. If the aerial vehicle hasreturned from its mission, then the process advances to box 740, wherethe process advances to box 740, where the testing facility prepares astandard battery of tests for the aerial vehicle, and to box 760, wherethe aerial vehicle performs the battery of tests at the testingfacility. A standard battery of tests may include an automated testingsequence by which each of the motors, rotors and/or control surfaces ofthe aerial vehicle are operated independently or in tandem at thetesting facility, e.g., within operating ranges of one or moreground-based sensors provided there. If the vehicle has not returnedfrom its mission, then the process returns to box 715, where the aerialvehicle's onboard sensors continue to capture operating data during themission.

If the operating data is deemed unsatisfactory at box 730, then theprocess advances to box 750, where the testing facility providesoperating instructions to the aerial vehicle to return for maintenance.For example, the testing facility may instruct the aerial vehicle toreturn immediately to the testing facility (or to another location),without completing the mission or one or more portions thereof.Alternatively, the testing facility may instruct the aerial vehicle toreturn to the testing facility (or to another location) after completingthe mission or portions thereof, e.g., under normal operatingconditions, or under reduced or modified operating conditions, such asfaster or slower speeds, higher or lower power levels and/or direct ormodified courses. At box 755, the testing facility prepares a customizedbattery of tests for the aerial vehicle upon its return, based on theoperating data.

At box 760, the aerial vehicle performs a battery of tests at thetesting facility, e.g., either a standard battery of tests, asdetermined at box 740, or a customized battery of tests, as determinedat box 760. The battery of tests may include a predetermined automatedtesting sequence in whole or in part, as well as one or more tests orevolutions that may be customized or selected for the aerial vehicle,for a class to which the aerial vehicle belongs, for the testingfacility, or on any other basis. Additionally, as is discussed above,the battery of tests may be performed within an operating range (e.g.,within an acoustic range and/or field of view) of one or moreground-based sensors provided at the testing facility. At box 770,whether the results of the battery of tests are satisfactory isdetermined. If the results of the tests are satisfactory, then theprocess advances to box 775, where the aerial vehicle is cleared for itsnext mission, and to box 710, where the aerial vehicle departs for thatmission, e.g., to deliver or retrieve another payload. Alternatively,where the aerial vehicle was instructed to terminate its mission andreturn for testing at box 750, the aerial vehicle may resume the missionif the results of the tests are deemed satisfactory. If the results ofthe tests are unsatisfactory, however, then the process advances to box780, where the aerial vehicle is blocked from performing its nextmission, e.g., until further maintenance, repairs or further inspectionsare performed.

Those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art will recognize that theground-based sensors (e.g., acoustic sensors, imaging devices ormagnetometers) that are used to capture testing data from aerialvehicles during the performance of predetermined testing sequences maybe provided about a landing area, e.g., at or near the landing pad 145shown in FIGS. 1A through 1D, enabling a predetermined testing sequenceto be performed when the aerial vehicle is on the ground. Alternatively,however, the ground-based sensors may be provided in a range or otheralignment that enables testing data to be captured from aerial vehicleswhile the aerial vehicles are in flight.

Referring to FIG. 8, a view of aspects of one system 800 for automatedaerial vehicle inspections in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure is shown. Except where otherwise noted, reference numeralspreceded by the number “8” shown in FIG. 8 indicate components orfeatures that are similar to components or features having referencenumerals preceded by the number “6” shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, by thenumber “4” shown in FIGS. 4A through 4C, by the number “2” shown in FIG.2 or by the number “1” shown in FIGS. 1A through 1D.

As is shown in FIG. 8, the system 800 includes an aerial vehicle 810 anda testing facility 840. The testing facility 840 includes a plurality ofacoustic sensors 852-1, 852-2, 852-3, 852-4 (e.g., microphones) and aplurality of imaging devices 854-1, 854-2, 854-3, 854-4 disposed oneither side of a range 845. The aerial vehicle 810 is shown as passingover the range 845 as the aerial vehicle 810 returns to the testingfacility 840, e.g., while completing a mission. Alternatively, theaerial vehicle 810 may pass over the range 845 as the aerial vehicle 810departs from the testing facility, e.g., while beginning a mission.Testing data captured by the acoustic sensors 852-1, 852-2, 852-3, 852-4and/or the plurality of imaging devices 854-1, 854-2, 854-3, 854-4 ofthe range 845 may be evaluated to determine whether the aerial vehicle810 requires any maintenance, repairs or further inspections, or whetherthe aerial vehicle 810 may be cleared for its next mission.

Those of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts will recognize that theaerial vehicle 810 may operate in any number of modes while passing overor near the acoustic sensors 852-1, 852-2, 852-3, 852-4 and the imagingdevices 854-1, 854-2, 854-3, 854-4 of the range 845, e.g., including butnot limited to a predetermined testing sequence by which one or moremotors, rotors or control surfaces provided on the aerial vehicle areoperated at different powers or subject to different limits. Moreover,those of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts will recognize that inaddition to testing data captured by the acoustic sensors 852-1, 852-2,852-3, 852-4 and the imaging devices 854-1, 854-2, 854-3, 854-4 of therange 845, testing data captured by one or more sensors onboard theaerial vehicle 810 may also be used to determine whether the aerialvehicle 810 requires any maintenance, repairs or further inspections, orwhether the aerial vehicle 810 may be cleared for its next mission.

Ground-based sensors from which testing data may be captured may bestationary or in motion. For example, a testing facility may include aplurality of landing areas or other spaces at which aerial vehicles maybe subjected to one or more testing evolutions, and a sensor provided ona vehicle or robot (e.g., a cart, a truck, a mobile platform or othermachine) configured to travel on a road, a path, a track, or one or morerails may be used to capture information or data regarding aerialvehicles that are located at the different landing areas or otherspaces. The ability of a sensor to travel from one landing area or otherspace to another landing area or another space, and to evaluate multipleaerial vehicles in such areas or spaces, may be particularly usefulwhere the sensor is unique or expensive, e.g., a high frame rate cameraor high fidelity acoustic sensor, or any other type or form of sensor.

Referring to FIGS. 9A and 9B, views of aspects of one system 900 forautomated aerial vehicle inspections in accordance with embodiments ofthe present disclosure is shown. Except where otherwise noted, referencenumerals preceded by the number “9” shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B indicatecomponents or features that are similar to components or features havingreference numerals preceded by the number “8” shown in FIG. 8, by thenumber “6” shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, by the number “4” shown in FIGS. 4Athrough 4C, by the number “2” shown in FIG. 2 or by the number “1” shownin FIGS. 1A through 1D.

As is shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the system 900 includes a testingfacility 940 having a track 902 and a plurality of landing areas 945A,945B, 945C. The track 902 may include one or more rails that are sizedor configured for a vehicle 904 to travel thereon. The vehicle 904includes an acoustic sensor 952 (e.g., a microphone) and an imagingdevice 954 (e.g., a digital camera), and may include one or more othersensors (not shown). The landing areas 945A, 945B, 945C each include anaerial vehicle 910A, 910B, 910C thereon. The track 902 is aligned topermit the vehicle 904 to pass by the respective landing areas 945A,945B, 945C within operating ranges of the sensors thereon, e.g., withinan acoustic range of the acoustic sensor 952 or within a field of viewof the imaging device 954. Thus, each of the aerial vehicles 910A, 910B,910C may be subjected to one or more testing evolutions (or sequences ofsuch evolutions), and information or data regarding the aerial vehicles910A, 910B, 910C may be captured using the acoustic sensor 952, theimaging device 954, or any other sensors provided at the testingfacility 940 or aboard the respective vehicles 910A, 910B, 910C (notshown). Thus, a single sensor provided on a vehicle, or a set orcomplement of sensors provided on a vehicle, may be used to capture dataduring the performance of any number of testing evolutions by aerialvehicles that have returned from completing a mission, or are betweenphases of operation. Although the vehicle 904 is shown as configured fortravel on the track 902 (e.g., on rails) and as including the acousticsensor 952 and the imaging device 954, those of ordinary skill in thepertinent arts will recognize that any number of sensors, of any type,may be provided on any type of vehicle in accordance with the presentdisclosure.

Although the disclosure has been described herein using exemplarytechniques, components, and/or processes for implementing the systemsand methods of the present disclosure, it should be understood by thoseskilled in the art that other techniques, components, and/or processesor other combinations and sequences of the techniques, components,and/or processes described herein may be used or performed that achievethe same function(s) and/or result(s) described herein and which areincluded within the scope of the present disclosure.

For example, although some of the embodiments disclosed herein referencethe use of unmanned aerial vehicles to deliver payloads from warehousesor other like facilities to customers, those of ordinary skill in thepertinent arts will recognize that the systems and methods disclosedherein are not so limited, and may be utilized in connection with anytype or form of aerial vehicle (e.g., manned or unmanned) having fixedor rotating wings for any intended industrial, commercial, recreationalor other use.

It should be understood that, unless otherwise explicitly or implicitlyindicated herein, any of the features, characteristics, alternatives ormodifications described regarding a particular embodiment herein mayalso be applied, used, or incorporated with any other embodimentdescribed herein, and that the drawings and detailed description of thepresent disclosure are intended to cover all modifications, equivalentsand alternatives to the various embodiments as defined by the appendedclaims. Moreover, with respect to the one or more methods or processesof the present disclosure described herein, including but not limited tothe processes represented in the flow charts of FIG. 3, 5A and 5B, or 7,orders in which such methods or processes are presented are not intendedto be construed as any limitation on the claimed inventions, and anynumber of the method or process steps or boxes described herein can becombined in any order and/or in parallel to implement the methods orprocesses described herein. Also, the drawings herein are not drawn toscale.

Conditional language, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” or“may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understoodwithin the context as used, is generally intended to convey in apermissive manner that certain embodiments could include, or have thepotential to include, but do not mandate or require, certain features,elements and/or steps. In a similar manner, terms such as “include,”“including” and “includes” are generally intended to mean “including,but not limited to.” Thus, such conditional language is not generallyintended to imply that features, elements and/or steps are in any wayrequired for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodimentsnecessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input orprompting, whether these features, elements and/or steps are included orare to be performed in any particular embodiment.

Disjunctive language such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, or Z,” or“at least one of X, Y and Z,” unless specifically stated otherwise, isotherwise understood with the context as used in general to present thatan item, term, etc., may be either X, Y, or Z, or any combinationthereof (e.g., X, Y, and/or Z). Thus, such disjunctive language is notgenerally intended to, and should not, imply that certain embodimentsrequire at least one of X, at least one of Y, or at least one of Z toeach be present.

Unless otherwise explicitly stated, articles such as “a” or “an” shouldgenerally be interpreted to include one or more described items.Accordingly, phrases such as “a device configured to” are intended toinclude one or more recited devices. Such one or more recited devicescan also be collectively configured to carry out the stated recitations.For example, “a processor configured to carry out recitations A, B andC” can include a first processor configured to carry out recitation Aworking in conjunction with a second processor configured to carry outrecitations B and C.

Language of degree used herein, such as the terms “about,”“approximately,” “generally,” “nearly” or “substantially” as usedherein, represent a value, amount, or characteristic close to the statedvalue, amount, or characteristic that still performs a desired functionor achieves a desired result. For example, the terms “about,”“approximately,” “generally,” “nearly” or “substantially” may refer toan amount that is within less than 10% of, within less than 5% of,within less than 1% of, within less than 0.1% of, and within less than0.01% of the stated amount.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respectto illustrative embodiments thereof, the foregoing and various otheradditions and omissions may be made therein and thereto withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: an imaging device; a landingarea, wherein at least a portion of the landing area is within a fieldof view of the imaging device; a first computing device connected to anetwork; and an aerial vehicle within the portion of the landing area,wherein the aerial vehicle comprises a microphone, a motor, a rotorcoupled to the motor and a second computing device connected to thenetwork, wherein the first computing device is configured to at least:receive, from the second computing device over the network, firstinformation regarding a first mission executed by the aerial vehicle;cause a first operation of the motor at a first speed; during the firstoperation, cause the imaging device to capture first imaging data of atleast the motor or the rotor; and cause the microphone to capture firstacoustic data; receive, from the second computing device, the firstimaging data; receive, from the second computing device, the firstacoustic data; identify a first signature associated with operation ofthe motor; generate a second signature based at least in part on thefirst information and at least one of the first imaging data and thefirst acoustic data; determine whether the second signature isconsistent with the first signature; in response to determining that thesecond signature is not consistent with the first signature, identify adiscrepancy between the second signature and the first signature;determine a maintenance evolution associated with the discrepancy; andrestrict the aerial vehicle from performing a second mission until themaintenance evolution is completed.
 2. The system of claim 1, whereinthe first computing device is further configured to at least: generatethe first signature based at least in part on at least one of secondimaging data captured by the imaging device during a second operation ofthe motor or second acoustic data captured by the microphone during thesecond operation, and wherein the second operation preceded the firstmission.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first computing device isfurther configured to at least: perform a first modal analysis on atleast one of the second imaging data or the second acoustic data;generate the first signature based at least in part on the first modalanalysis; perform a second modal analysis on the first information andat least one of the first imaging data or the first acoustic data; andgenerate the second signature based at least in part on the second modalanalysis.
 4. A method comprising: initiating a first operation of atleast a first powered element of a first aerial vehicle, wherein thefirst aerial vehicle is within a first portion of a facility comprisinga first sensor during the first operation, and wherein the first portionof the facility is within a first operating range of the first sensor;during the first operation, capturing first data regarding the firstoperation of the first powered element by at least the first sensor;determining, based at least in part on the first data, whether the firstaerial vehicle requires at least one maintenance evolution by at leastone computer processor; and in response to determining that the firstaerial vehicle requires the at least one maintenance evolution,performing the at least one maintenance evolution on the first aerialvehicle.
 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: in response todetermining that the first aerial vehicle does not require the at leastone maintenance evolution, clearing the first aerial vehicle to performat least a first mission.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the facilityfurther comprises a second sensor, wherein the first portion of thefacility is within a second operating range of the second sensor, andwherein the method further comprises: during the first operation,capturing second data regarding the first operation of the first poweredelement by at least the second sensor, wherein whether the first aerialvehicle requires the at least one maintenance evolution is determinedbased at least in part on the first data and the second data.
 7. Themethod of claim 6, wherein the first sensor comprises at least one of afirst imaging device, a first acoustic sensor, or a first magnetometer,and wherein the second sensor comprises at least one of a second imagingdevice, a second acoustic sensor, or a second magnetometer.
 8. Themethod of claim 6, wherein determining whether the first aerial vehiclerequires at least one maintenance evolution comprises: performing afirst modal analysis regarding the first powered element based at leastin part on at least the first data and the second data; generating afirst signature for the first powered element based at least in part onthe first modal analysis; and determining a comparison of the firstsignature to a second signature for the first powered element, whereinwhether the first aerial vehicle requires the at least one maintenanceevolution is determined based at least in part on the comparison of thefirst signature to the second signature.
 9. The method of claim 8,further comprising: initiating a second operation of the first poweredelement of the first aerial vehicle within the first portion of thefacility; during the second operation, capturing third data regardingthe second operation of the first powered element by at least the firstsensor; during the second operation, capturing fourth data regarding thesecond operation of the first powered element by at least the secondsensor; performing a second modal analysis regarding the first poweredelement based at least in part on at least the third data and the fourthdata; generating the second signature for the first powered elementbased at least in part on the second modal analysis, wherein the secondoperation of the first powered element precedes the first operation ofthe first powered element.
 10. The method of claim 8, whereindetermining the comparison of the first signature to the secondsignature further comprises: providing at least the first signature andthe second signature as inputs to a machine learning algorithm; andreceiving an output from the machine learning algorithm, wherein whetherthe first aerial vehicle requires the at least one maintenance evolutionis determined based at least in part on the output received from themachine learning algorithm.
 11. The method of claim 4, wherein the firstaerial vehicle further comprises a second sensor, and wherein the methodfurther comprises: during the first operation, capturing second dataregarding the first operation of the first powered element by at leastthe second sensor, wherein whether the first aerial vehicle requires theat least one maintenance evolution is determined based at least in parton the first data and the second data.
 12. The method of claim 11,wherein the second sensor comprises at least one of a gyroscope, anaccelerometer, a magnetometer, an imaging device, or an acoustic sensor.13. The method of claim 4, wherein the first powered element comprisesat least one of a first motor coupled to a first rotor or a firstcontrol surface.
 14. The method of claim 4, further comprising:identifying a testing sequence associated with the first aerial vehicle,wherein the testing sequence comprises operating each of the pluralityof powered elements of the first aerial vehicle, wherein the firstoperation is initiated in accordance with an execution of the testingsequence.
 15. The method of claim 4, further comprising: in response todetermining that the first aerial vehicle does not require the at leastone maintenance evolution, causing the first aerial vehicle to performat least a first mission; receiving the first aerial vehicle within thefirst portion of the facility after the performance of at least thefirst mission; and initiating a second operation of at least the firstpowered element after the performance of at least the first mission,wherein the first aerial vehicle is within the first portion of thefacility during the second operation: during the second operation,capturing second data regarding the third operation of the first poweredelement by at least the first sensor; determining, based at least inpart on the second data, whether the first aerial vehicle requires theat least one maintenance evolution based at least in part on the secondoperation by the at least one computer processor; and in response todetermining that the first aerial vehicle requires the at least onemaintenance evolution, performing the at least one maintenance evolutionon the first aerial vehicle following the second operation.
 16. Themethod of claim 4, wherein the first data comprises at least one of: anacceleration of at least a portion of the aerial vehicle during thefirst operation; a vibration frequency of at least the portion of theaerial vehicle during the first operation; imaging data captured duringthe first operation; acoustic data captured during the first operation;and a magnetic field emitted by the aerial vehicle during the firstoperation.
 17. The method of claim 4, further comprising: receivingoperational data regarding at least one mission performed by the firstaerial vehicle prior to the first operation, wherein the operationaldata comprises at least one of a speed of the first aerial vehicleduring the at least one mission, a course of the first aerial vehicleduring the at least one mission, an altitude of the first aerial vehicleduring the at least one mission, an origin of the first aerial vehicleduring the at least one mission or a destination of the first aerialvehicle during the at least one mission, and wherein whether the firstaerial vehicle requires the at least one maintenance evolution isdetermined based at least in part on the operational data.
 18. Themethod of claim 4, wherein the at least one maintenance evolution is atleast one of: a repair of at least the first powered element, or aninspection of at least the first powered element for at least one of amicrofracture, a crack, a loosened fastener, a broken fastener,corrosion or fatigue.
 19. A method comprising: receiving operating datafrom an aerial vehicle over a network, wherein the aerial vehiclecomprises a powered motor and a pivotable control surface, and whereinthe operating data comprises at least one of a speed, a course, analtitude or a radiated noise level during a first mission performed bythe aerial vehicle; selecting a testing sequence for the aerial vehiclebased at least in part on the operating data, wherein the testingsequence comprises: causing a first operation of the powered motor at apredetermined operating speed; and causing a second operation of thepivotable control surface within a predetermined angular range; causingthe aerial vehicle to execute the testing sequence within an operatingrange of at least a first sensor; during the testing, capturing firstdata using at least the first sensor; determining whether the first datais consistent with at least one physical manifestation of stress orstrain of at least a portion of the first aerial vehicle; and inresponse to determining that the first data is consistent with the atleast one physical manifestation of stress or strain, restricting thefirst aerial vehicle from performing a second mission until at least oneof a maintenance evolution, a manual inspection or a visual inspectionis to be performed.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first sensorcomprises at least one of an imaging device, an acoustic sensor, or amagnetometer.